His Bit of Happiness
by Celeste Belle
Summary: Hinata has already confessed her love, but she did it when she was certain she was going to die. She didn't expect a second chance at life...or love.


Disclaimer: There is no possible way I own Naruto. If I did, Sasuke would already have pulled a Vegeta and turned to the good side because he fell in love with Sakura after she beat him up for deserting the village.

His Bit of Happiness

Hinata knew when she confessed her love that they would be the last words she ever spoke to Naruto. All she knew was that he HAD to live. He was too precious to her. Stepping in to save him from Pein should have been her last act on this earth. That had given her the confidence to say it. He needed to know that she loved him before she never had the chance again. But fate had given her another chance. It was not her time to die. She had another chance at life. Her words were spoken in the heat of the moment, before a battle she knew she would lose. But they were words she had wanted to say since she had met Naruto.

So why was she standing here at the training grounds staring up at the night sky, regretting them? No. That wasn't entirely true. She could never regret telling Naruto the truth. She could never regret loving him. She just wished that he had given her a sign that he felt he same way. Of course, since Sakura confessed her love, however untruthful, Hinata would not have a chance. Would he ever notice her? Maybe this was his way of saying that he didn't see her that way. Maybe it was time to stop looking to Naruto for inspiration and strength.

"I will get stronger. In both body and heart." It would not break her if he rejected her.

With these thoughts still in her mind, Hinata poised for attack. She liked to come here at night because no one would see her if she struggled, if she fell. She no longer wanted to please her father…he would either learn to love her the way she was, or not. She now knew she needed to get stronger for herself. So lost in her training, she failed to sense the pair of eyes that followed her body's every movement.

* * *

Naruto knew he wouldn't be getting any sleep that night. His mind wouldn't let him. His body was exhausted, but his mind could not stop thinking. Pein's attack on the village had devastated Konoha. He had managed to stop Pein; that was the easiest part. After Hinata fell, he could only see red. The Kyuubi's chakra burst into his veins as his anger built. Rebuilding the village would be the more difficult task.

Before long, Naruto found himself at the training grounds. He hadn't been here in a long time. A wave of nostalgia washed over him before he noticed a person standing there. From this distance he could just make out the figure of a woman. Walking a little closer, he realized it was Hinata. He was still too far away to hear what she was saying, but he could see her lips moving. Suddenly, with practiced resolve, she moved into a fighting stance. He watched her train on her own for a few minutes, appreciating how much stronger she seemed to be, before making his presence known.

"Hey, Hinata!" he called, pleased when she stopped training to face him. "Want to spar?"

It had been a long time since Naruto had fought anyone in a friendly match that had nothing to do with training and everything to do with building a friendship. She appeared startled by the request, but obliged, nodding before moving back into her stance. He followed suit. No words were spoken. He knew there were some unresolved issues between them; he wanted to talk to Hinata about her confession, but didn't know what to say. He didn't want to hurt her, but he wasn't sure what he felt.

As they moved, his thoughts melted away and all that was left was the sound of their breathing as they traded blows. Hinata was careful not to hit any vital spots, and Naruto was careful not to get too carried away.

Jumping back to catch his breath before another assault, Naruto was surprised to find that Hinata had snuck up behind him. Moving her hands according to her family's jutsu, he realized, standing there with his jaw slack, that her blows were much softer than before. This was no longer sparring. It seemed as if she was caressing him. Yet, she was still using the gentle fist. Leaping away from her, he stared as she paused, waiting for him to realize something.

Her eyes met his, Byakugan deactivated, and for a moment, he could see right through her. She was communicating with him. She still loved him, but she would not wait forever. She knew he needed time, and she could give it to him, but he needed to do one of two things: continue this fight that was now a dance of dialogue, or walk away. He could just tell her "good night," "thank you," and walk away, rejecting her without words.

Naruto's mind conjured an image of Sakura. How she had always loved Sasuke more. How she had always complained that Naruto was an idiot. How she had always been prepared to defend Sasuke if she could. His mind then drifted to the woman standing in front of him. How she had always believed in him. How she had been willing to defend him from the harsh words of others. How she had been willing to give her life in battle, if only it meant he would live.

Moving back into the proper stance, Naruto held out his hand. Crooking his fingers, he wordlessly told her to continue.

A smile lit up Hinata's face before she moved back into her stance, Byakugan reactivating. _Well, it wasn't a full rejection. Maybe I still have a chance._ She hoped he had picked up on what she was trying to say. Naruto was known to be a bit thick, but surely even he could tell what her movements said.

As they rushed each other and collided once again in a friendly battle, she noticed his movements were more fluid than last time. As his attacks hit, her mind registered that they did not hurt at all. The soft blows were landing as hers had. They continued this dance, trading blow for blow, caress for caress.

When both were out of breath, they collapsed side-by-side on the ground. Hinata turned to smile at him before saying "You're getting much stronger, Naruto-kun. I'm sure you'll be Hokage in no time if you keep training like you have been."

The trademark grin that adorned his face made her own smile widen. "Thanks Hinata-chan. It makes me feel stronger to know I have your support."

Leaning up on an elbow so he could look at her, he said "You're getting stronger too."

She blushed. "I want to be stronger. My fight with Pein showed me just how much I still have to learn."

He ducked his eyes before returning them to hers. "That was a very brave thing you did that day."

She smiled softly. "Everyone else says it was foolish."

"I don't think jumping in to save the life of the person you love is foolish." He whispered, trapping her in his gaze.

Her blush intensified. Her heart pounded. Her mouth went dry. "W-well…um…about that…I…" She couldn't say anything. She didn't know what he thought about her confession, and she would rather die than take it back.

Grabbing her hand, he smiled at her confused look. "I don't want you to be uncomfortable, Hinata-chan. It makes me glad that you love me." His voice had dropped to a deep rumble in his chest. Pulling on her hand, he pulled her into his embrace. No one but Iruka-sensei had cared about him until he became a ninja. Certainly no one had _loved_ him since his family died.

_When did Naruto-kun start acting this way_? She knew he was getting stronger in his training, but perhaps he had learned something in his training that he hid from others. Maybe he had matured more than anyone else realized. "Naruto-kun?" Her voice held all the questions she was too afraid to ask.

He sighed. "I do care for you Hinata-chan. I'm just not sure it's love yet." He pulled back in time to see the hurt look on her face before she masked it. "I'm not rejecting you." He assured her, "I would like to see where this goes, but I just need some time to figure out some things. Is that okay?"

When she raised her eyes back to his, she saw genuine hope in his eyes. He really wanted to give them a chance. She nodded. "I don't expect you to love me right away, N-Naruto-kun." Darn her stutter. She had worked on it, and it was now nearly non-existent. "But I'm glad you didn't discount my feelings."

"I would never do that, Hinata-chan." He said, placing a light kiss on her forehead. "I'm just sorry I didn't notice you sooner."

It was time to stop pining after Sakura and move on. It was time for Naruto to give real love a chance. It was time…that he found his bit of happiness.


End file.
